The Aircraft Electronics Association has released its first quarter 2023 Avionics Market Report. In the first three months of the year, total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales amounted to $777,640,387.48, or more than $777 million as reported by the participating companies.

The figure represents a 22.6 per cent increase in total sales compared to the first quarter 2022 amount of $634,546,020.43, or more than $634 million. This increase was driven by a 32.1 per cent increase in forward-fit sales compared to the same time frame one year ago.

However, first quarter sales decreased 2.1 per cent sequentially from the fourth quarter of 2022, snapping a streak of 10 consecutive quarters of increasing sales.

The dollar amount reported, using the net sales price rather than the manufacturer's suggested retail price, includes: all business and general aviation aircraft electronic sales, including all component and accessories in cockpit/cabin/software upgrades/portables/certified and non-certified aircraft electronics; all hardware (tip to tail); batteries; and chargeable product upgrades from the participating manufacturers. The amount does not include repairs and overhauls, extended warranty or subscription services.

Of the more than $777 million in first quarter 2023 sales, 39.9 per cent or $309,902,153.36 came from the retrofit market, namely avionics equipment installed after original production, while forward-fit sales, avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production, amounted to $467,738,234.12 or 60.1 per cent of first-quarter sales.

According to the companies that separated their total sales figures between North America, namely US and Canada, and other international markets, 74.5 per cent of the first quarter sales volume occurred in North America, while 25.5 per cent took place in other international markets.

"This quarterly report offers mixed results, as the industry posted a lower dollar amount in sales when compared to the fourth quarter of last year, while at the same time reporting an increase in sales of more than 22 per cent compared to the first three months of 2022," says AEA president and CEO Mike Adamson. "Also of note, the industry garnered the largest forward-fit sales volume in the history of the report with more than $467 million in avionics sales to OEMs. It is only the second time that quarterly sales have topped $400 million in that category."